Canada strengthens safety on children’s jewellery and products containing lead

Canada published in the Gazette the updated consumer product regulations on children’s jewellery1 and products containing lead2 on 2 May 2018. The amendments are in line with the consultation3 ended in 2017.

To protect children against serious risks of adverse health effect from toxic chemicals, the regulations are enhanced by expanding the product scope and introducing new requirements. Both regulations will come into force on 2 November 2018.

Children’s Jewellery Regulations (SOR/2018-82)

The current regulations4 restrict the lead content in children’s jewellery items under 15 years of age to 600 mg/kg total lead and 90 mg/kg migratable lead, but do not include any limit on cadmium. The upcoming restriction replaces the lead limits with a single total 90 mg/kg limit, and add a 130 mg/kg total cadmium limit for children’s jewellery items with small parts. Health Canada comments the newly introduced 130 mg/kg cadmium limit is comparable to the EU’s 100 mg/kg for costume jewellery.

Consumer Products Containing Lead Regulations (SOR/2018-83)

In addition to products whose may come contact with mouth5, the new regulations extend further on specific products which children are most likely to be exposed like clothing, accessories, toys, books or printed product and childcare products.

The limit of lead remains unchanged. Each accessible part of affected products must not contain more than 90 mg/kg total lead. Health Canada applied a fixed total lead value rather than a migratable to avoid the exposure and environmental factors to affect the amount of lead moving out from products.

The regulations include an exemption from the lead limit if lead is necessary to produce an essential characteristic of the part without alternatives. However, parts exempted from the total lead limit are still subject to a 90 mg/kg migratable limit. Industry can continuously use the EN 71-3 and other alternative test methods that meet good laboratory practice for migration testing.